Greta Gerwig is bringing Barbie to life on the big screen, but is a movie about a doll
just toying around, or will it somehow break the mold?
Here's all you need to know before checking out the latest toy-turned-blockbuster.
If you're a movie lover, then you've no doubt circled July 21 on your calendar.
After all, it's the most important day of 2023.
Why's that?
"How about because this is the most important thing to ever happen in the history of the
world!?!"
On that day, two phenomenal films will hit theaters at the same time and go head-to-head
for box office dominance.
July 21 will play host to "Barbie" — a colorful, zany comedy — and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer"
— a grim, heavy biopic.
Regardless of which film does better, it's a win-win for cinephiles, as both films look
like they're going to be absolutely exceptional.
When it comes to the movie's plot, the official "Barbie" website has provided a short-but-sweet
summary, which reads,
"To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place.
Unless you have a full-on existential crisis.
Or you're a Ken."
Unfortunately for our ever-smiling hero, it looks like she's having that crisis.
In the film's official main trailer, we see how her perfect life is falling apart.
Her morning shower is ruined by a sudden surge of cold water.
While she used to easily float down from the roof of her house into her cute Barbie car,
now she's just falling straight to the ground.
And instead of feet that always perfectly mimic the shape of a high heel shoe, suddenly,
her soles are flat on the ground — the horror.
"FLAT FEET!
BLECH!"
Most alarming of all, Barbie is suddenly haunted by thoughts of death.
Hoping to find answers to life's big questions, she decides to venture out into the real world,
with a stowaway Ken tagging along.
Unfortunately, this is frowned upon by the executives at Mattel, the company that makes
Barbie toys.
When our blonde hero leaves Barbie Land behind, the suits do everything in their power to
hunt her down.
Will they put her back in the box before Barbie can figure her life out?
The trailers for "Barbie" have all been pretty incredible.
The first "Barbie" teaser was a hilarious homage to "2001: A Space Odyssey," with a
tribe of little girls ditching their baby dolls when a gigantic Barbie shows up on the
scene, standing in for "2001's" eerie monolith.
The second "Barbie" teaser got even zanier, complete with Beach Boys tunes, the bright
pink hues of Barbie Land, and every character greeting our bubbly blonde protagonist.
"Hi, Barbie!"
"Hi Barbie!"
However, it's the film's main trailer that really drives home the plot — showing the
cracks that are starting to show in Barbie's seemingly perfect life.
With thoughts of death swirling around her head, Barbie is given a "Matrix"-like choice
by Kate McKinnon's character.
She can either pick the high heel and stay in her regular life or pick the sandal and
go on a journey of exploration.
After a bit of prodding, Barbie and Ken set out on a highly stylized journey to the real
world.
Of course, as the trailer shows, the real world is no cake walk.
Barbie even winds up in jail!
However, as she searches for meaning, Barbie never gives up hope, and the trailer promises
that this wacky comedy is going to go to some serious places.
"Ideas live forever."
"Barbie" features one of the best casts we've seen in a long time.
Margot Robbie stars as the titular doll, which is perfect casting, as she looks exactly like
Barbie.
And since Robbie has played wildly varied characters in projects like "The Suicide Squad,"
"I, Tonya," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," we know her spin on the iconic character will
be something unique.
Of course, you can't have Barbie without Ken, and Ryan Gosling is stepping into the role
of the blonde boy toy, which is another casting triumph, since Gosling looks like a walking,
talking Ken doll.
And while he excels at playing quiet, brooding men, he's also great at over-the-top comedy,
as evidenced by "The Nice Guys."
"I had to question the mermaids!
What were you doing while I was working?"
As for the rest of the cast, this is where things get incredibly funny.
Most of the actresses are all playing different versions of Barbie, and most of the actors
are playing various versions of Ken.
For example, Issa Rae is President Barbie, Ritu Arya is a Pulitzer-Prize–winning Barbie,
and Dua Lipa is Mermaid Barbie.
Playing a whole host of Kens — whose defining characteristic seems to be the fact that they're
all just Kens — we've got Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans, just
to name a few Kens.
Michael Cera of "Arrested Development" fame also lives in Barbie Land, but he's a bit
of an oddball.
Instead of playing a Ken, Cera is playing Allan, a character based on a discontinued
1960s toy that was made to be Ken's best friend.
Similarly, Oscar-winning screenwriter Emerald Fennell will play Midge, another less-famous
toy who was at one point canonically married to Allan.
Rounding things out, Will Ferrell will play the CEO of Mattel, Helen Mirren will narrate
the movie, Rhea Perlman of "Cheers" fame will also show up, and famed wrestler-turned-actor
John Cena will reportedly appear as a merman.
"Barbie" marks Greta Gerwig's third film as a director, but while she's only helmed three
movies, Gerwig is one of the most exciting filmmakers in Tinseltown.
She first sat down behind the camera for "Lady Bird," the coming-of-age dramedy that earned
multiple Oscar nominations, including one for best picture and two for Gerwig — best
director and best original screenplay.
She then reunited with Saoirse Ronan for a beloved adaptation of "Little Women," which
earned a best picture nod at the Academy Awards and also nabbed Gerwig an Oscar nomination
for best adapted screenplay.
In other words, when Gerwig gets involved with a project, you can bet that film will
turn out to be gold — even a concept as crazy as "Barbie."
While a guest on Dua Lipa's podcast, "At Your Service," Gerwig talked about her experience
making the upcoming film, saying,
"It was terrifying.
[…] That feeling that I had was knowing that it would be really interesting terror.
Usually that's where the best stuff is.
[...] Anything where you're like, 'This could be a career-ender,' then you're like, 'Okay,
I probably should do it.'"
Gerwig also wrote the script, alongside Noah Baumbach, her romantic partner.
Similar to Gerwig, Baumbach is also a highly respected director, having helmed movies like
"Marriage Story" and "The Squid and the Whale."
The Barbie Dreamhouse is a legendary estate, and the "Barbie" movie design team has done
the palace extra proud — and extra pink.
Production design and set decoration dream team Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer drew
inspiration from mid-century modern mansions and real-life toys, plus director Gerwig's
references — which, according to Architectural Digest, range from the bold "Pee-wee's Big
Adventure" to the pastel-powered fever dream of "An American in Paris."
The result is a Dreamhouse that looks like "Mad Men" meets Nicki Minaj.
The design of the Dreamhouse is inspired by "the Kaufmann House," a Palm Springs home
designed in 1946 by Richard Neutra.
While Neutra's work favors neutral shades, Greenwood and Spencer had a mandate of their
own to follow: think pink.
The team used so much pink paint it caused an international shortage, but not all of
that paint was on the Dreamhouse itself.
The beautiful backdrops that surround Barbie Land are hand-painted, not CGI, partly in
keeping with what Gerwig calls the "authentic artificiality" of Barbie's world.
The home is full of bright colors and toy-like details.
Even Barbie's closet is clearly designed to match the packaging of clothes sold separately.
Still, a quick glance at Barbie's movie home shows that there is a price to be paid for
living a "perfect" life.
Gerwig explained to Architectural Digest,
"​​Dreamhouses assume that you never have anything you wish was private.
There is no place to hide."
Barbie and Batman have a lot in common: names that start with "B," extreme wealth and style,
absentee parents — so it only makes sense that they also share the same taste in automobiles.
The "Barbie" movie's Dream Car was designed by the same artists who made the Batmobile
for Robert Pattinson's "The Batman."
While this batty collaboration has us hoping for an influx of street-legal hot pink Batmobiles,
we won't hold our breath — unless it's for another potential, electric, and real-life
Barbie car tie-in.
Barbie's movie ride is a custom pink electric Corvette.
Eagle-eyed viewers of the "Barbie" trailers can spot an electric charging port and a blue-highlighted
"EV" in the "Chevrolet" script on the side of the Dream Car.
When Fox News reached out to Chevrolet regarding possible real-life Barbie cars, Chevrolet
provided a response:
"Barbie and Corvette have had a long-standing relationship and we're excited to build on
that in the 'Barbie' movie.
More to come on this and some other surprises."
Autoevolution reports that GM has confirmed that electric Corvettes are slated for release
soon — so why shouldn't some be pretty in pink?
Barbie and pink go together like, well, Barbie and Ken.
But production design and set decorator collaborators Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer had to get
the right pinks for the "Barbie" movie — pinks that would sustain the dreaminess of Barbie's
world, as well as convey the playful, toy-like quality of her "real" life.
Finding the perfect pink was no easy task.
The designers narrowed their scope from 100 pinks to a range of 10 to build the look of
the film.
According to IndieWire, Gerwig named the color palette "Techni Barbie," in reference to "Technicolor,"
a suite of film color processes that was popular with movie musicals like "The Wizard of Oz"
and "The Red Shoes."
Rodrigo Prieto, who shot "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Irishman," is no stranger to colorful
films.
He also shot "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Broken Embraces."
His artistry across styles is put to use by the "Barbie" movie.
While we barely get a glimpse of the "real" world in the "Barbie" movie, one thing's for
sure — when Barbie's there, she's not in pink Kansas anymore.
The only way Barbie can have a "giant party with planned choreography and a bespoke song"
every night in Barbie Land is with a stacked soundtrack.
So far, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Lizzo, Kid LAROI, HAIM, Charlie XCX, Tame Impala, Ava
Max, Dominic Fike, KAROL G, PinkPantheress, and FIFTY FIFTY are confirmed to grace the
soundtrack with their pink and powerful presences.
Maybe we'll even get more of Aqua than the sample used in the movie trailer implies.
The album is executive produced by hitmaker Mark Ronson, who personally requested Dua
Lipa work on a song for a major set piece in the movie.
According to his own Instagram post, Mark Ronson DM'd Dua Lipa a request to work on
the movie, calling the movie "hilarious."
Dua's song will score a 60-person dance scene in the movie.
"Dance the Night" also has its own music video, featuring a cameo by Greta Gerwig.
While the "Barbie News"-themed "Barbie the Album" cover promises "more Barbies and Kens
to be announced," there's one more Ken musician we're excited about — the Kennest Ken of
them all, Ryan Gosling.
While this might shock some fans of the actor, others might be familiar with his musical
side from "La La Land" and "Lars and the Real Girl," or his former band Dead Man's Bones.
Real ones know Gosling's come a long way from his "Mickey Mouse Club" days, even if his
Ken costumes beg to differ.
Every interview Ryan Gosling grants about playing Ken in the "Barbie" movie is better
than the last.
Even though, according to the movie, Ken's job is "just beach," Gosling had a hard time
getting a handle on his character at first.
He told the crowd at CinemaCon,
"I didn't know Ken from within and if I'm being really honest, I doubted my Kenergy.
I didn't see it, but Margot and Greta, they conjured this out of me somehow.
It was like I was living my life and then one day I was bleaching my hair, shaving my
legs, wearing bespoke neon outfits, and rollerblading down Venice beach."
Gosling also spoke at CinemaCon about how Robbie helped him tap into his elusive Kenergy,
saying,
"She left a pink present with a pink bow, from Barbie to Ken, every day while we were
filming.
They were all beach-related.
Like puka shells, or a sign that says 'Pray for surf.'"
If Gerwig and Robbie helped Gosling achieve internal mental Ken fitness, he was on his
own to attain Ken's considerable physical fitness, which was no mean feat.
"That Ken life is even harder than 'The Gray Man' life, I think."
Even before the "Barbie" movie's release, the brand's iconic aesthetic inspired a fashion
trend called "Barbiecore."
Think pink — like, neon pink — and a playful, poppy aesthetic that leans into frills, "girly"
energy, and all things toy-like and fabulous.
A quick search of "Barbiecore" on TikTok returns gazillions of views on posts featuring looks
popping with pink.
Pastel, shimmer, magenta, fuschia, neon — the pink sky's the limit.
Vogue reports that the look has taken over runway fashion as well, especially with Versace's
recent sparkling (and movie-ready) fashions.
Tourism boards are taking advantage of the sudden interest in "Barbiecore" as well, with
California creating a "Barbiecore Tour Through California" campaign for those who prefer
their pink with a touch of '60s-inflected style.
Some "Barbiecore" is even a direct result of the meta-world of the movie.
When Barbie leaves behind Barbie Land for the "real" world, she and Ken skate through
Venice Beach on skates they brought from home, based on the iconic blades of '90s Barbies.
Impala Skate is releasing tie-in skates and pads that exactly match the ones Barbie and
Ken wear in the movie.
Soon, real-life Barbies and Kens can buy their own to live their own plastic and fantastic
Barbiecore lifestyle — if they aren't already sold out.
Issa Rae, who plays President Barbie in the "Barbie" movie, is a legendary writer, director,
actor, and producer.
Known for making and starring in hit shows like "Insecure," Rae knows a thing or two
about creating powerful pop culture — and good leadership.
Rae has openly praised the energy and leadership on the "Barbie" set.
Rae told PopSugar,
"Literally everybody on that set was just great vibes, great to be around.
It starts at the top...
You have two people, your lead and your director, who are both women, I must say.
They're just both incredible people and incredibly talented.
They made it a comfort zone."
Initially, Rae wasn't fully on board with Gerwig's pitch for the Barbie movie, just
the director's enthusiasm for the idea.
But when Rae got to the script, she told The Hollywood Reporter,
​​"Reading it was, like, 'Oh my God, I love her even more.'
And then actually shooting it, it was incredible, one of my favorite experiences."
Will Ferrell plays the CEO of Mattel in the film, who so far looks like the movie's villain.
While Ferrell isn't exactly a victim of CEO typecasting, this isn't the first time Ferrell
has played a slightly villainous institutional figure that breaks the laws of reality while
wearing a suit and tie.
Ferrell plays a Dad who just doesn't understand his kid in "The LEGO Movie" — until, of
course, his kid and his LEGO remind him of the power of play.
His costume for "Barbie" is incredibly similar to that in "The LEGO Movie," except in "Barbie"
his tie is pink, of course.
Perhaps the movie's themes share a common thread?
Ferrell has also played the wildly creative fashion designer overlord Mugatu, the silly
and villainous character in "Zoolander."
Ferrell is good at playing over-the-top, yet grounded characters, whether in suit-and-tie
or haute couture.
He adored being in "Barbie," telling the Wall Street Journal,
"It's a loving homage to the brand and, at the same time, couldn't be more satirical
[...] Just an amazing comment on male patriarchy and women in society and why Barbie's criticized
and yet why every little girl still wants to play with Barbie."
Barbie has been in development for a long time, first with Amy Schumer set to star,
and later with Anne Hathaway attached.
Some time after that, Margot Robbie and her husband's production company, LuckyChap, scooped
up the property.
While it might seem obvious that Robbie would consider herself an iconic blonde, for the
role of an iconic blonde, she actually wasn't her own first choice.
Robbie tells The Hollywood Reporter about LuckyChap,
"We never started a company to be a starring vehicle for me.
We wanted to expand what female stories and female storytellers could do in this industry,
and I don't need to be onscreen for that to happen."
So it tracks that Robbie initially thought Gal Gadot would be a perfect fit for the role
of the beautiful, sweet, and super-sincere doll.
Robbie tells Vogue,
"Gal Gadot is Barbie energy.
She's so genuinely sincere, and she's so enthusiastically kind, that it's almost dorky.
It's like right before being a dork."
While the story of the "Barbie" movie has been kept mostly mysterious leading up to
its release, it's clearly meant to be a magical, existential tale meant to appeal to kids and
adults.
While Gerwig and the rest of the cast and crew have playfully only teased that "Barbie"
is going to subvert expectations, Greta has shared some of her more philosophical inspirations:
a trip to Mattel and an old book.
Gerwig tells Vogue about "meeting" the many versions of Barbie at Mattel,
"All of [the dolls] are Barbie, and Barbie is everyone.
Philosophically, I was like, Well, now that's interesting."
The amount and variety of Barbies inspired Gerwig, who said it gave her "an expansive
idea of self that we could all learn from."
Gerwig also shared with Vogue that a parenting guide book she read as a kid, "Reviving Ophelia,"
kept coming up when she was writing "Barbie."
The book is about raising teenage girls and the depression they may face during the changes
of adolescence.
Gerwig related that to Barbie's, saying,
"How is this journey the same thing that a teenage girl feels?
All of a sudden, she thinks, Oh, I'm not good enough."
"Do you guys ever think about dying?"
Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig know that Barbie as a toy is beloved and be-hated in equal
measure.
Barbie is a significant cultural figure, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad.
She is a symbol of empowerment, adventure, and acceptance — as well as, at times, body
image issues, impossible beauty standards, and vapidity.
Robbie and Gerwig decided to use all of that in their movie.
Robbie told Vogue,
"We have to acknowledge that there are a lot of people who aren't fans of Barbie.
They actively hate Barbie.
And have a real issue with Barbie.
We need to find a way to acknowledge that."
While it remains to be seen exactly how the not-so-sparkly side of Barbie will be handled
in the movie, the thoughtful and playful sound bites sound promising.
The sense of play the entire creative team has been showcasing has audiences feeling
like kids again.